Development of a simple LC-MS/MS method for determination of rebamipide in human plasma and its application to a bioequivalence study.

The purpose of this study was to design a simple and rapid liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method for a rebamipide bioequivalence study in healthy Chinese male volunteers. In this method, sample pretreatment involved simple protein precipitation with venlafaxine as the internal standard. Analysis was achieved on a ZORBAX SB-C18 column with a concentration range of 6-1200 ng/mL. Rebamipide tablets from Yuanlijian (test, Hangzhou, China) and from Otsuka (reference, Hangzhou, China) were evaluated following a single 300 mg oral dose to 20 healthy volunteers. Bioequivalence was determined by calculating 90% confidence intervals (90% CI) for the ratio of Cmax, AUC(0-t) and AUC(0-infinity) values for the test and reference products, using logarithmic transformed data. The 90% confidence intervals for the ratio of Cmax (83.7-118.4%), AUC(0-t) (91.1-113.4%) and AUC(0-infinity) (90.6-113.2%) values for the test and reference products were within the interval (80.0-125.0% for AUC, and 70-143% for Cmax), proposed by State of Food and Drug Administration [SFDA, 2005. China]. It was concluded that the two rebamipide tablets were bioequivalent in their rate and extent of absorption and the method met the principle of quick and easy clinical analysis.